ation that a man should try to cheat a boy out of ten cents by
giving him counterfeit money.
The man whom Toby was speaking to was about to dismiss him with an angry
reply, when he saw that those about him were not only interested in the
matter, but were evidently taking sides with the boy against him; and
knowing well that he had given the counterfeit money, he took another
coin from his pocket and, handing it to Toby, said, "I didn't give you
the lead piece; but you're making such a fuss about it that here's ten
cents to make you keep quiet."
"I'm sure you did give me the money," said Toby, as he took the extended
coin, "an' I'm much obliged to you for takin' it back. I didn't want to
tell you before, 'cause you'd thought I was beggin'; but if you hadn't
given me this, I 'xpect I'd have got an awful whippin', for Mr. Jacobs
said he'd fix me if I didn't get the money for it."
The man looked sheepish enough as he put the bad money in his pocket,
and Toby's innocently told story caused such a feeling in his behalf
among those who sat near that he not only disposed of his entire stock
then and there, but received from one gentleman twenty-five cents for
himself. He was both proud and happy as he returned to Mr. Jacobs with
empty glasses, and with the money to refund the amount of loss which
would have been caused by the counterfeit.
But the worthy partner of Mr. Lord's candy business had no words of
encouragement for the boy who was trying so hard to please.
"Let that make you keep your eyes open," he growled out, sulkily; "an'
if you get caught in that trap again, you won't be let off so easy."
Poor little Toby! his heart seemed ready to break; but his few hours'
previous experience had taught him that there was but one thing to do,
and that was to work just as hard as possible, trusting to some good
fortune to enable him to get out of the very disagreeable position in
which he had voluntarily placed himself.
He took the basket of candy that Mr. Jacobs handed him, and trudged
around the circle of seats, selling far more because of the pitifulness
of his face than because of the excellence of his goods; and even this
worked to his disadvantage. Mr. Jacobs was keen enough to see why his
little clerk sold so many goods, and each time that he returned to the
stand he said something to him in an angry tone, which had the effect of
deepening the shadow on the boy's face and at the same time increasing
trade.
B
|